Before you watch this video, have a look at the instructions or read the description below — that’s where you’ll find the secrets that will help you master the trick. Remember, the real magic lies in the details!
The trick in a nutshell
Using a few dice, a piece of paper and a pen, you’ll show that you can predict the result of an addition problem faster than a calculator!
Preparing the trick
Get a piece of paper, a pen and a mobile phone or calculator ready.
The performance
- Ask a spectator to roll the dice and arrange them in a single row, side by side. Use your magic method and write down a five-digit number on the piece of paper: add the digit 3 to the start of the number in the third row and subtract 3 from the last digit. Fold the paper and set it aside. Note – if the last digit in the third row is 2, subtract 3 from the number formed by the last two dice (in the example 3 682, subtract 3 from 82 = 79).
- Ask the spectator to write down any four-digit number. Then, for each digit of that number, apply a simple rule: subtract each of the spectator’s digits from 9 – separately, one by one. In this way, we obtain a new four-digit number – this is our opponent’s number or the mystery number.
- Example – The spectator’s number: 2 368
- Our number: 7 631
- Note! Do not write the numbers directly below the numbers written by the spectator, to avoid revealing patterns.
- The numbers written down by you and the spectator, plus the four sets of numbers on the dice, make up six sets of numbers. The spectator adds all six numbers together, and the result turns out to be the same as the one written down earlier!
Tips
Remember that the sum is calculated for the four rows of numbers, not the columns. Write the numbers down fairly quickly. Although the calculations aren’t difficult once you understand the mechanism, be careful not to make mistakes. If you don’t have a pen and paper, you can give the result straight away after the spectator has rolled the dice. Then ask the audience member to do the calculations.